Bookish News: June/July/August 2018 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Releases to Get Excited About

 
 

Wow, that title was a mouthful! Next year I plan on sticking to two months at a time, but I started on an even month this year, so I’m making do.

Anyway, here are some June/July/August 2018 releases that sound fantastic. I’m very grateful to have actually gotten ARCs for most of these, so this includes some books I haven’t read and am looking forward to myself as well as some that I’ve already really enjoyed and can’t wait for everyone else to read too!


The Reign of the Departed by Greg Keyes // June 19

The Reign of the Departed by Greg KeyesBlurb:

Errol Greyson hadn’t intended to commit suicide. Or so he told himself. But waking up after his “cry for help” in the body of a wood-and-metal construct magically animated by Aster―the strange girl from school―was not a result he could have imagined.

Aster’s wild explanations of a quest to find the water of health that would cure her father seemed as unreal as her description of Errol’s own half-dead existence, his consciousness stuck in an enchanted automaton while his real body was in a coma from which it might never wake. And of course, they would need to recruit a girl―a virgin, no less―who had been dead for thirty years, to lead them through something called the Pale, beyond which a bunch of magical kingdoms existed. Plus, the threat that Aster could turn him off like a light switch, sending him into a hellish oblivion, was a convincing incentive to cooperate.

It all seemed quite mad: Either Aster was nuts, or Errol was hallucinating. But if it meant a new chance at life, he reckoned it was worth playing along.

My Thoughts:

Kind of a high fantasy/urban fantasy combo, this one is strange but in a good way, and the characters captured my heart!

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan French // June 19

The Grey Bastards by Jonathan FrenchBlurb:

Live in the saddle.
Die on the hog.

Call them outcasts, call them savages—they’ve been called worse, by their own mothers—but Jackal is proud to be a Grey Bastard.

He and his fellow half-orcs patrol the barren wastes of the Lot Lands, spilling their own damned blood to keep civilized folk safe. A rabble of hard-talking, hog-riding, whore-mongering brawlers they may be, but the Bastards are Jackal’s sworn brothers, fighting at his side in a land where there’s no room for softness.

And once Jackal’s in charge—as soon as he can unseat the Bastards’ tyrannical, seemingly unkillable founder—there’s a few things they’ll do different. Better.

Or at least, that’s the plan. Until the fallout from a deadly showdown makes Jackal start investigating the Lot Lands for himself. Soon, he’s wondering if his feelings have blinded him to ugly truths about this world, and the Bastards’ place in it.

In a quest for answers that takes him from decaying dungeons to the frontlines of an ancient feud, Jackal finds himself battling invading orcs, rampaging centaurs, and grubby human conspiracies alike—along with a host of dark magics so terrifying they’d give even the heartiest Bastard pause.

Finally, Jackal must ride to confront a threat that’s lain in wait for generations, even as he wonders whether the Bastards can—or should–survive.

Delivered with a generous wink to Sons of Anarchy, featuring sneaky-smart worldbuilding and gobs of fearsomely foul-mouthed charm, The Grey Bastards is a grimy, pulpy, masterpiece—and a raunchy, swaggering, cunningly clever adventure that’s like nothing you’ve read before.

My Thoughts:

One of the best books I’ve read so far this year! This one is a fun, boisterous, gripping epic fantasy—about half orcs!

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

Pack by Mike Bockoven // July 3

Pack by Mike BockovenBlurb:

Cherry, Nebraska, population 312, is just off the highway between the sticks and the boonies. It’s where Dave Rhodes and his friends have lived all their lives. They own businesses, raise families, pay taxes, deal with odd neighbors and, once or twice a month just like their fathers before them—transform into wolves. It’s not a bad life, but when one of the group members goes astray, it sets in motion a series of events that will threaten to destroy the delicate balance that has kept Dave and his clan off the radar. Between a son getting ready for his first transformation—called The Scratch—a wife with sordid secrets, a new sheriff who knows nothing of the creatures in his midst, and a mysterious man in a bow tie with a shady agenda, the middle of nowhere is about to get very dangerous.

Interspersed with historical documents and newspaper clippings, and court documents that reveal the past of Cherry, Nebraska, a past informed by spirits, the devil, and crooked cops. In the vein of Donald Ray Pollock and Glen Duncan, Pack is at its heart is the story of family’s survival in an unforgiving world. Mike Bockoven’s second novel moves at breakneck speed with prose that hits like an injection of battery acid. Raw, real, and funny, Pack exposes the horror and tenderness that festers in the forgotten corners of the American Dream.

My Thoughts:

If you’re looking for werewolves that are a little different than the sexy shifters of the paranormal romance genre, you should check this one out! It’s about werewolves but also about a family that’s screwed up but still looks out for each other.

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. Berry // July 3

Space Unicorn Blues by T.J. BerryBlurb:

A misfit crew race across the galaxy to prevent the genocide of magical creatures, in this unique science fiction debut.

Having magical powers makes you less than human, a resource to be exploited. Half-unicorn Gary Cobalt is sick of slavery, captivity, and his horn being ground down to power faster-than-light travel. When he’s finally free, all he wants is to run away in his ancestors’ stone ship. Instead, Captain Jenny Perata steals the ship out from under him, so she can make an urgent delivery. But Jenny held him captive for a decade, and then Gary murdered her best friend… who was also the wife of her co-pilot, Cowboy Jim. What could possibly go right?

My Thoughts:

I’ve been looking forward to this one since I heard about it! How could I not be? It’s about a half-unicorn in space!

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

The Gorgon Bride by Galen Surlak-Ramsey // July 10

The Gorgon Bride by Galen Surlak-RamseyBlurb:

THE GODS ARE FUNNY.

Except when you piss them off.

Then they suck.

They really, really suck.

(Really).

Alexander Weiss discovers this tidbit when he inadvertently insults Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, and she casts him away on a forgotten isle filled with statues.

Being marooned is bad enough, but the fact that the island is also the home of Euryale, elder sister to Medusa, makes the situation a touch worse. The only thing keeping Alex from being petrified is the fact that Euryale has taken a liking to the blundering mortal.

For now.

What follows next is a wild, adventurous tale filled with heroes, gods, monsters, love, and war that is nothing short of legendary.

My Thoughts:

Gorgons! Need I say more????

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

Spinning Silver by Naomi Novik // July 10

Spinning Silver by Naomi NovikBlurb:

Miryem is the daughter and granddaughter of moneylenders, but her father’s inability to collect his debts has left his family on the edge of poverty—until Miryem takes matters into her own hands. Hardening her heart, the young woman sets out to claim what is owed and soon gains a reputation for being able to turn silver into gold.

When an ill-advised boast draws the attention of the king of the Staryk—grim fey creatures who seem more ice than flesh—Miryem’s fate, and that of two kingdoms, will be forever altered. Set an impossible challenge by the nameless king, Miryem unwittingly spins a web that draws in a peasant girl, Wanda, and the unhappy daughter of a local lord who plots to wed his child to the dashing young tsar.

But Tsar Mirnatius is not what he seems. And the secret he hides threatens to consume the lands of humans and Staryk alike. Torn between deadly choices, Miryem and her two unlikely allies embark on a desperate quest that will take them to the limits of sacrifice, power, and love.

Channeling the vibrant heart of myth and fairy tale, Spinning Silver weaves a multilayered, magical tapestry that readers will want to return to again and again.

My Thoughts:

I had mistakenly thought this was a sequel and wasn’t interested since I haven’t read Uprooted. But then I found out this is a separate book, and it’s a Rumpelstiltskin retelling! How cool is that?

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

Temper by Nicky Drayden // Aug 7

Temper by Nicky DraydenBlurb:

Two brothers.
Seven vices.
One demonic possession.
Can this relationship survive?

Auben Mutze has more vices than he can deal with—six to be exact—each branded down his arm for all the world to see. They mark him as a lesser twin in society, as inferior, but there’s no way he’ll let that define him. Intelligent and outgoing, Auben’s spirited antics make him popular among the other students at his underprivileged high school. So what if he’s envious of his twin Kasim, whose single vice brand is a ticket to a better life, one that likely won’t involve Auben.

The twins’ strained relationship threatens to snap when Auben starts hearing voices that speak to his dangerous side—encouraging him to perform evil deeds that go beyond innocent mischief. Lechery, deceit, and vanity run rampant. And then there are the inexplicable blood cravings. . . .

On the southern tip of an African continent that could have been, demons get up to no good during the time of year when temperatures dip and temptations rise. Auben needs to rid himself of these maddening voices before they cause him to lose track of time. To lose his mind. And to lose his . . .

TEMPER

My Thoughts:

This is one of my most anticipated books of the year. Twins, demons, an African-based setting—sounds amazing!

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 

The Raging Ones by Krista & Becca Ritchie // Aug 14

The Raging Ones by Krista & Becca RitchieBlurb:

In a freezing world, where everyone knows the day they will die, three teens break all odds.

Franny Bluecastle, a tough city teen, dreams of dying in opulence, to see wealth she’s never known. Like the entire world, she believes it’s impossible to dodge a deathday.

Until the day she does.

Court Icecastle knows wealth. He also knows pain. Spending five years in Vorkter Prison, a fortress of ice and suffering, he dreams of life beyond the people that haunt him and the world that imprisoned him.

Mykal Kickfall fights for those he loves. The rugged Hinterlander shares a frustrating yet unbreakable connection with Court—which only grows more lawless and chaotic as their senses and emotions connect with Franny.

With the threat of people learning they’ve dodged their deathdays, they must flee their planet to survive. But to do so, all three will have to hide their shared bond as they vie for a highly sought after spot in the newest mission to space. Against thousands of people far smarter, who’ll live longer, and never fear death the way that they do.

My Thoughts:

Young adults trying to get into space, an empathic/sensory connection between characters, and interesting relationships!

Goodreads | Amazon | Publisher

 
 
 
 

Talk to me!

What June/July/August 2018 book releases are you looking forward to?

 
 
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Your Thoughts

 

54 thoughts on “Bookish News: June/July/August 2018 Sci-Fi/Fantasy Releases to Get Excited About

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    1. Kristen Burns

      There actually wasn’t much to the multimedia thing, just some little article/journal excerpts in between chapters. Not trying to stop you from reading the book! Just don’t want you to be disappointed if that’s your main draw. Ahh the cover is gorgeous!

  1. Greg

    There are a ton of books coming out right now that I want! The grey Bastards looks kinda fun- half orcs huh? – and Space Unicorn Blues. How could I NOT be excited about that one??? And The Gorgon Bride *yup nods* that cover!!?!

  2. Suz

    Ooh two caught my eye here: The Pack and Space Unicorn Blues. Looks like the 3rd of July will be a good day 🙂

  3. Wattle

    Pack sounds interesting, I might have to add that one to my list. Also Space Unicorn Blues (mainly for that awesome title!)

  4. Sam@WLABB

    I have had Uprooted for eternity, and shamefully, have not read it yet. I keep hearing raves too. I am interested to see what the Ritchies do in this genre. I have only read contemporaries by them.

    1. Kristen Burns

      The good news is, you don’t have to read Uprooted before Spinning Silver since my understanding is the books are totally separate, so you can just jump right in 😉 I haven’t read anything else by the Ritchies, but I really liked this one!

  5. Lola

    Great list! Space Unicorn Blues has me curious with that title, but I wasn’t 100% sure if it was a book for me when I saw it on Edelweiss a while ago. I’ll probably wait a bit and read some reviews for it first. The Gorgon Bride looks good too. I don’t think I’ve read about those yet. I remember seeing Temper on Edelweiss, did you get a copy of it?

    1. Kristen Burns

      It sounds so fun, and it does sound like one you’d be interested in too. But I haven’t read that one yet, so idk if it is your kinda book or not. Yes! Temper is literally the only book I’ve gotten approved for on EW, and I’m convinced it was a mistake lol.

  6. Lindsi

    Orcs?! That alone makes me want to read The Grey Bastards. I don’t think I’ve read about them outside of LOTR.

    I have Uprooted (SS Gift) but haven’t read it yet. Spinning Silver sounds fun, too!

    I also love the idea for The Gorgon Bride! I’ve read a few books that contained Gorgons, but none that featured them as a main character! Thanks for the recs!

    L @ Do You Dog-ear?

    1. Kristen Burns

      Yes! That was totally why I read it lol.

      I was never really interested in Uprooted, but I do like the sound of Spinning Silver!

      I finished Gorgon Bride last week and it turned out the gorgon was hardly in it :-/

  7. Mary

    I definitely want to check out Spinning Silver it sounds really interesting and I can’t say no to a fairy tale retelling.

  8. Daniela Ark

    yay recommendations and new releases! You know they are my favorite! So I’m glad you posted this! argh-awk-gak I could choke with the cover of THE GREY BASTARDS!! and the title??? I wanna read it just because of that. Yup. I’m that deep LOL

    I still haven’t gotten to the Raging Ones ARC! I should quite at my book blogger job [sobs]

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’m starting to love these posts too! Huh, I was actually disappointed in the Grey Bastards cover. The old cover was amazing, and I feel like this one doesn’t do it justice. But it’s an AMAZING book!

      Lol at least you’ve still got time before it comes out 😛

  9. Olivia Roach

    The Grey Bastards has such a cool cover! And Temper too. I hadn’t heard of them before but I definitely want to read both of them. If you do read them, I’d look forward to your reviews of them both. I see Spinning Silver but I haven’t read my copy of Uprooted yet. That’s something I need to do.

  10. Becky @ A Fool's Ingenuity

    Spinning Silver! I am so excited for that book… I’ve not preordered it yet though and I feel like I really should. I loved Uprooted so my expectations are high and I need to read my ARC cope to be honest. And I saw Space Unicorn Blues on netgalley and got a little tempted to request, I immediately thought it might be one for you. I think the title alone makes me want to read.

    1. Kristen Burns

      I haven’t read Uprooted, but I want this one because I totally want to read a Rumplestiltskin retelling! Ahhh I love that I’ve become the uncommon supernatural creature blogger in people’s minds, haha.

  11. Danya @ Fine Print

    Hooray, book rec post! These are some of my faves. I’m really looking forward to Space Unicorn Blues too — silly, fun space opera is my kinda sci-fi. Haven’t read The Raging Ones yet but I’ve got a copy and I’m quite excited to start it. I’m happy to see you enjoyed it, Kristen!

    Normally I’d never be interested in The Grey Bastards (sounds a bit “dudely” for me), but I am intrigued…

    1. Kristen Burns

      I’m finding that I really like doing these posts, so that’s good to hear! Space Unicorn Blues sounds like so much fun. I hope you end up liking The Raging Ones too!

      It was maybe a little dudely lol. I was more worried it’d be too epic fantasy for me. But the writing was really good and sucked me in and the characters were great!